


Creating A Future Part 2

by chakochick



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Action/Adventure, Babies, Baby Fic, Bathtubs, Chakodaddy, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy, Humor, I hate this part, KJ and Chak are parents, Light Smut, New Earth, New Parents, Sleep Deprivation, Twins, surprise visitors, will they ever leave new earth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:35:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27402862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chakochick/pseuds/chakochick
Summary: The continuation of my story, Creating A Future. This picks up just about immediately after part one ended. Our little New Earth family has a lot of adventures yet to come, and perhaps some unexpected visitors...you never know.It's not critically imperative to read part one, but you really should for context and some fluffy J/C goodness. This is a baby fic, and J/C as parents in the cutest way possible...you have been warned.
Relationships: Chakotay & Kathryn Janeway, Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway
Comments: 46
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I just wanted to take a quick moment to say I am SO SO SO sorry for the amount of time I have been gone. I can only blame work and life and having practically ZERO time for writing. I am very sorry that i have been absent, and I hope you still want to follow along with my stories. I haven't given up on ANY of them, and have been picking away at them here and there during this busy time, so keep an eye out, and please let me know what you think. I hope you're still around! Thanks so much for all of the love!!! xoxo

=/\=

It was just after midnight on New Earth, and the crickets and spring peepers were singing softly as the weather had finally warmed enough for them to come out of their dormancy. Though it was dark, the moon was nearly full, glowing down from a practically cloudless sky, giving a dim light to the earth below.

In a clearing stood a small house, lit from within by several night lights; just enough to see by. It wasn’t much of a shelter; part utilitarian and part rustic; a mix of metal and logs, but it served its purpose in protecting the four lives that lived beneath its roof.

Four people now lived in this cabin, Chakotay marveled silently to himself as he looked down at the sleeping face of his newborn daughter.

After eating her fill, Ellie had settled down almost immediately, her belly full and her body warm in the soft blanket her father had swaddled her in. Kathryn had held the little girl close, even after she’d drifted off to sleep, content to marvel at the small life that she and Chakotay had created. Neither she nor Chakotay spoke for a time, content to simply listen to the sounds that their son and daughter made as they got used to life outside of their mother’s womb.

Their little warrior, who had not chosen his name yet, was still unsettled beneath the blanket that Chakotay had covered him with. Chakotay rocked him gently, whispering words in his native tongue to his son, but he would not calm down. “There’s nothing for it, Kathryn. I think he’s ready to try for his first meal.” Kathryn nodded, gently laying their baby girl beside Chakotay and taking their son to her breast.

It took a bit more coaxing, and a few tears from mother and son alike, but after a time he had finally latched and was nursing, though his tiny brow was still furrowed as if letting his parents know that he did not appreciate all of the hassle it took to fill his belly. Chakotay leaned down, pressing a kiss to his son’s forehead before laying several gentle kisses on Kathryn’s bare shoulder.

Once Chakotay could tell that his son was settled into his first meal, Chakotay took Ellie back into his arms. It amazed him, yet again, at how light she was. Glancing between his babies, his eyes finally landed on Kathryn’s face as she watched her son nurse.

Kathryn Janeway; his love and his life, and the mother of his children, had never been more beautiful to him than she was in that moment. Her hair was falling out of the confines of the braid she’d put it in hours ago, and several strands were still stuck to her forehead. Her face was streaked with dried tears, and she still lay half on and half off the soiled bedding that Chakotay hadn’t had a chance to do anything with. Pressing one more kiss to her shoulder, he moved slowly towards the edge of the bed. “Will you be okay for a minute? I’ll clean her up and get a diaper on her. I feel like we are tempting fate with both of them, wearing nothing but a blanket.” Kathryn chuckled, nodding as she looked back down at her son.

Chakotay now stood in their small kitchen beside the sink. He’d already filled a bowl with warm water and had a cloth ready to clean the remnants of her birth from Ellie’s body, but he couldn’t stop looking at her long enough to undress or clean her.

She was still asleep, though she moved occasionally in her swaddle as though she might wake up. He marveled at how a baby, brand new to the world, could look so much like her mother and father at the same time. She had Chakotay’s complexion, as did her brother. But while their little warrior had Kathryn’s brow and nose, Ellie was more her father’s daughter. Her features were certainly more native. She had Chakotay’s nose and chin, but her tiny ears were the exact replica of her mother’s. He wondered at how she and her brother would change as they grew, and though neither had or could smile yet, he hoped that at least one of them might have inherited his dimples.

Ellie squirmed a bit as her eyes fluttered for a moment before closing again. Laying her down gently on the counter, he opened the blanket and washed her as carefully as he could. The lights were low, and the water warm, and Ellie barely seemed to notice that she was receiving her first bath. Her tiny fingers curled around Chakotay’s thumb when he lifted her arm to clean her. He felt tears burn in his eyes as he finished washing her, the weight of the responsibility he now had to take care of Ellie and her brother weighed heavily on his shoulders. He was a father. He had children; a son and a daughter, born not an hour ago. Though it was after midnight now, both babies had been born on March 19th. With a smile he brushed the tears quickly from his cheeks as he lifted Ellie and placed a diaper beneath her. They’d replicated several dozen cloth diapers, and Chakotay knew they’d be in for a lot of laundry in the coming months, but he chuckled to himself that he didn’t mind in the slightest as his daughter opened her eyes, a soft cooing sound escaping her lips as her father diapered her quickly. Impressed by his own handiwork, he swaddled her in a fresh blanket before carrying her carefully back into the bedroom.

It appeared as though their baby boy was starting to get restless at his current task. Perhaps his tiny belly was finally full. Kathryn looked up as Chakotay approached and gave him a lazy smile, her love for her family growing exponentially at seeing Chakotay holding the tiny bundle of their daughter. “Is she alright?” Kathryn spoke softly.

“She’s still asleep. She barely noticed what I was doing,” he looked down at her small face. “She has your ears,” he whispered, sitting down at the edge of the bed to look over at his son. He was clearly finished as he fidgeted in Kathryn’s arms.

She turned him slowly, tucking the blanket around him as she situated him in her arms. Kathryn and Chakotay watched as he opened his eyes and seemed to look right at them, and as his dark eyes landed on their faces, his lips turned up in the gentlest of smiles and he let out a giggle. It was a quick sound, but unmistakable. Chakotay’s mouth dropped open and Kathryn covered hers to keep from making a sound that might startle either of them. They both watched as his eyes moved about for a moment before shutting again. Kathryn turned to look at Chakotay, and his eyes were as wide as hers. “You heard that right?” She whispered. He nodded.

“He just chose his name,” Chakotay whispered as he reached across Kathryn to run his finger down his son’s cheek. The baby grinned again in his sleep, small dimples puckering his tiny cheeks. Chakotay couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped his own lips. “Ahanu. It means ‘little boy who is full of laughter’.” He looked up at Kathryn to see her reaction.

Her lips pulled up as she looked down at her son, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose. “Ahanu. Han...Ahanu Edward Janeway and Nayeli Sekaya Janeway.” Hearing Kathryn speak their full names out loud brought tears of emotion to his eyes as he looked between his children. “Han and Ellie.” He watched as her own tears brimmed and spilled, “They are perfect.”

Glad that Kathryn approved both names, he let out a contented sigh as they watched both babies sleep. Kathryn sunk down on the bed a bit, her head coming to rest on Chakotay’s shoulder. Pressing a kiss into her hair, he turned to whisper in her ear, “Why don’t we trade? I’ll clean up our little warrior and then we can get you cleaned up too, and something to eat if you’re hungry? Or do you want to try to sleep?”

Kathryn chuckled to herself at the fact that she had no idea what time it was or even what day it was. Her labor had been a blur. She paused for a moment to take stock of her body and the situation before her. “I feel okay. I don’t even really hurt. I suppose I wouldn’t mind a shower. I’d love a bath, but that should probably wait for a few days.” Chakotay nodded as they carefully traded babies once again. 

“Are you hungry? I could fix something,” he whispered as he picked up Han.

“Not really. I’d love a glass of water, though.” Chakotay nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips before moving back into the kitchen to get Kathryn a drink and to bathe his son.

He wasn’t as lucky this time, and before he had a chance to diaper his son, Han decided to see how emptying his bladder would work. Caught by surprise, Chakotay quickly covered the little boy with the cloth he’d just used to clean him, at least avoiding too much of a mess, though Chakotay's chest and stomach were now wet. At least he was still shirtless, so that was one less article of clothing to wash. With a shake of his head and a chuckle, he decided that he’d use the sonic shower after Kathryn, and remember to be more careful when changing his son’s diapers in the future.

Before long he was back in the bedroom, placing his son in the cradle he’d built for him. He began to fuss at the prospect of not being held, but Chakotay rocked him gently until he drifted back to sleep.

“I don’t want to leave them,” Kathryn spoke wistfully as she glanced between Ellie, who was still sleeping in her lap and down to her sleeping son. She frowned at the idea of leaving the room and leaving them behind.

“You need to get cleaned up, Kathryn. You’ll feel so much better after a shower, and it’ll give me a chance to clean up in here. I promise I’ll keep an eye on them, and you won’t be gone long.”

Kathryn frowned but nodded. She knew he was right, of course, but her hormones and her motherly instincts were in overdrive, and she was afraid to lose sight of them, even for a moment. She turned and put her legs over the edge of the bed, letting out a breath. Reaching for Chakotay, he helped her to her feet and steadied her, holding her arms until she felt able to hold her own weight. Before she took a step, she leaned into Chakotay, wrapping her arms around his torso. With a soft chuckle he pulled her into an embrace. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too, Kathryn. You are incredible.” He pressed another kiss into her hair. “I’ve never seen anything so miraculous in my entire life.” She hummed out a soft laugh.

“I’m afraid you’ll never be able to look at me quite the same way again after witnessing all of that.”

Chakotay knew she was teasing, but leaned back, cupping her face in his hands, “I _won’t_ look at you the same way ever again. I will look at you with even more awe and amazement than I already do. What I witnessed today was the most extraordinary thing I’ve ever seen. You are amazing, and your body is amazing.” She smiled up at him. “Yesterday at this time you were still pregnant, and now our babies are here, and sleeping soundly. They are healthy, and you are healthy. I can’t imagine anything more perfect than that. I love you more today than I ever thought possible.”

Kathryn let out a sigh as she smiled up at Chakotay, “I love you so much. If it weren’t for you, these sweet babies wouldn’t exist. I just...thank you for saying yes, all those months ago.” She glanced down at both babies, still peacefully asleep. She’d only known them outside her body for an hour or so, but she already couldn’t imagine her life without them. They filled a space in her heart that she didn’t know was lacking. Feeling fresh tears burning in her eyes, she pressed her cheek back against Chakotay’s chest as she leaned into his embrace.

He held her silently for a moment as she cried. He knew she wasn’t sad, but that she was relieved. He couldn’t even begin to imagine all of the emotions she was feeling as her body adjusted to the fact that she was no longer pregnant. He was feeling elated and exhausted and content and nervous and happier than he’d ever been in his life, and he had only _witnessed_ the labor and delivery. He knew that Kathryn was feeling great right now because her body was still flooded with endorphins. Once things started to get back to normal, he was afraid that she was in for a lot of aches and pains over the next few days. Her frame really wasn’t built for carrying twins, and though her labor hadn’t been long, it had been hard at the end, and he knew she would feel it once her adrenaline waned. “Come on, let’s get you in the shower.”

He’d fashioned a sort of chair for her for the shower weeks ago, and though she had claimed before the birth that she wouldn’t need it, she gratefully sat down on it now, not one hundred percent trusting her legs to keep her upright. Once she was situated, she practically forced him out to go check on the babies, promising to call for him when she was done.

He made quick work of stripping the bed of the soiled sheets and things, putting them in the hamper to be dealt with tomorrow. As quietly as he could he remade the bed, adding several blankets back, since he wasn’t sure if Kathryn would be warm or chilled when she finally settled down. Checking to see that both babies were still sleeping, he got Kathryn a fresh nightgown and waited for her to call.

She showered quickly, but enjoyed the hot water immensely. She didn’t realize until she was finally clean just how messy she was. Chuckling to herself, she washed her hair and body before turning off the water, drying herself off as best she could while remaining seated.

She was just wrapping her hair in the towel when Chakotay knocked gently on the door, “How are you doing, love?” He cracked the door open to see her still sitting on the chair, leaning against the wall. “Are you alright?”

She smiled, taking the nightgown from him, and as she slipped it on, Chakotay could tell that fatigue was quickly taking over her entire being. She was a little pale, but she looked extremely content. “I’m fine. Just getting a little tired, but I feel okay.”

“You should be more than a little tired, Kathryn. You’ve been up for nearly twenty four hours, and you were in labor for most of them. You need to get some sleep.” he helped her to her feet once she was dressed.

“What about you? You must be exhausted too? Did you even eat anything today?” She moved with him slowly out of the bathroom and back into the kitchen where she got another glass of water.

“To be honest, I haven’t thought about anything other than you and those babies since you came inside this morning, or I guess it was yesterday morning now. Once you’re settled, I’m going to take a quick shower and maybe get something to eat.” Kathryn nodded.

“You go ahead, I can make it back to the bedroom.” Chakotay grinned, not letting go of her hand.

“Humor me?” He asked as he started to walk with her. She grinned and nodded, letting him keep hold of her hand as they moved slowly back to the bed.

She let out an audible sigh as she settled back against the pillows, glancing quickly at both babies to make sure they were both sleeping. Ellie was sleeping soundly, but Han fidgeted in his cradle, his brow furrowed though his eyes were still shut. “Will you get him for me? He might still be hungry. He didn’t nurse much.” Chakotay nodded, slipping his hands under the body of his son, lifting him gently to place him in Kathryn’s arms. He didn’t come fully awake, but seemed more content to be held, and drifted back to sleep.

“I should scan them while they are both sleeping to get weights and measurements.” Kathryn nodded in agreement. The tricorder was still on the nightstand beside the bed, and after activating it, Chakotay ran the sensor over Han’s body. If he heard the soft chirping noise, he made no indication. “Four pounds and eleven ounces, and he’s eighteen and a half inches long.” Kathryn smiled down at her son, marveling at how four pounds and eleven ounces, though barely anything, had never seemed more substantial to her before. Han’s breathing was evening out even more and Chakotay could tell that he was drifting further to sleep; obviously he much preferred the arms of his parents to the cradle.

Putting the tricorder down, he gently lifted Ellie from her cradle. Sitting cross legged, he lay her in his lap, grinning as she made soft sounds in her sleep. Turning the tricorder back on, he scanned her as well. “Five pounds and three ounces, and twenty inches.” She wasn’t that much bigger than her brother, but those inches and ounces added up to a vast difference in their appearances.

As gently as he could, he ran his finger across her brow, down her nose and across her chin. Her face scrunched for a moment before relaxing back into sleep. Kathryn chuckled low in her throat, watching Chakotay watch their daughter. “I thought you were going to take a shower.” Kathryn spoke, pulling him from his thoughts. He smiled at her, his dimples pressing into his cheeks.

“I am...it’s just hard to stop watching them. I don’t want to miss anything.” Kathryn leaned over, pressing a kiss to his arm.

“I know,” she moved Han so he was lying in the crook of her right arm, “Here, give her to me,” she held her left arm open to receive her daughter, “I’ll keep an eye on them both. Go take a shower and get something to eat. We aren’t going anywhere.”

With a soft smile, Chakotay handed Ellie over to her mother before sliding out of bed. Grabbing a fresh pair of pants he took a quick shower, eager to get back to Kathryn and the little ones. He was a little hungry, but more tired and in need of being near his family, so after getting himself a drink of water, he turned off all the lights as he went until only the small lamp on the nightstand remained.

He was about to ask Kathryn what he had missed, as a joke for his earlier statement, but caught himself before he made a sound.

Kathryn was fast asleep, leaning back against the pillows, one baby nestled and sleeping on either side of her. As quietly as he could, he moved both cradles to his side of the bed, figuring it would be easier for he himself to move in and out of the bed to get them whenever they woke up. Once they were situated, he moved as carefully as he could to slide the babies out of Kathryn’s arms and back into their beds. Kathryn stirred as Chakotay slid under the covers beside her, “Mmm, what time is it?” She whispered groggily. Apparently she had fallen asleep hard for the fifteen or so minutes he’d been gone. Smiling to himself, he pressed a kiss to her temple.

“Just after two in the morning. Go back to sleep, Kathryn. I’m sure you’ll be needed again before too long.”

She hummed in agreement, lacing her fingers with his under the covers, falling back to sleep before Chakotay could lean over and kiss her good night.

Chakotay lay in bed, feeling exhaustion begin to take him. He had Kathryn beside him, and his children slept soundly next to the bed. Saying a silent prayer of thanks to the spirits for the amazing gift they had given him, he closed his eyes, listening to the spring peepers and crickets as he himself drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Kathryn woke with a start, sitting up quickly in the darkness of their bedroom. Her heart pounded and she listened in the silence of the night for any sound of what might be wrong. Furrowing her brow, she reached out with her senses, but all was quiet, save for the sounds of nature outside the cabin.

It was too quiet.

Her heart rate kicked into overdrive as she listened for sounds of her babies. Where were they? She couldn’t hear them. Surely they should be hungry by now. Shouldn’t they? Quickly reaching for the light on her nightstand she switched it on. Hearing a groan from Chakotay beside her as he was pulled awake, her eyes searched the room for the babies.

“Kathryn, what’s wrong?” Chakotay was sitting up, his own adrenaline forcing him awake as he tried to figure out what was amiss in the quiet room.

“I can’t hear them,” she was in a full on panic as she finally spotted the cradles on the other side of the bed. “They’re not crying. Get them.” It wasn’t a suggestion, and though Chakotay didn’t want to disturb the sleeping babies, he knew Kathryn wouldn’t settle until she had them beside her. So he carefully lifted Han out of his bundle of blankets and placed him in Kathryn’s arms before turning to get Ellie.

Han fidgeted and let out a soft mewling cry at being disturbed, but that seemed to be exactly what Kathryn wanted to hear. She was barely able to stifle a soft sob behind her hand as relief flooded through her at hearing her son cry.

Chakotay’s adrenaline faded quickly, realizing that nothing was actually wrong. He let out a wavering sigh as he looked down at Ellie’s face, noticing that her eyes were now open and she looked like she was well on her way to making a ruckus for having been woken so abruptly. In the light of the night light, Chakotay could see tears brimming in Kathryn’s eyes as she looked down at Han before her eyes drifted to Ellie. She bit her lip to keep from making a sound as the tears began to fall. “I couldn’t hear them,” she whispered behind a choked sob. “I couldn’t hear them breathing, and I just panicked.”

Chakotay maneuvered Ellie into the crook of his left arm so he could let his right hand drift up and down Kathryn’s back as she sat hunched over her son, who had settled back to sleep. Ellie, on the other hand, decided that since she was close enough to being fully awake, she might as well act on it. 

Kathryn quickly pulled her nightgown down far enough and reached for her daughter. Chakotay maneuvered Ellie into Kathryn's arms before glancing at the clock. It was a little before three. With a silent grimace, Chakotay realized that they had only been asleep for about a half an hour. He was about to point that out to Kathryn, but knew it would do no good. She was settling into motherhood and he knew that if he had awoken in her place in the silence he might have panicked at the thought of the babies not breathing. Reaching for Han, to give Kathryn more room to hold Ellie, he was surprised when Kathryn leaned away from him, “It’s alright, he’s fine where he is,” she spoke quickly in a tone that was just a touch too harsh.

Part of him wanted to laugh at the fact that Kathryn had so easily become a fierce mama bear, protecting her children, but the other part of him wanted to chide her for being a touch too over protective. He knew he was only feeling frustration because he was tired, and it made him frustrated that he was frustrated. He knew perfectly well that Kathryn was only doing what her instincts and her hormones told her was best, and she obviously would do nothing that would put the babies in harm’s way. If she needed to be awake right now, waking and feeding the babies when they might not need it, no harm would be done. He knew they were both in for sleep deprivation for the foreseeable future, and if a little bit of it was brought on by either of them instead of the babies, again, nothing horrible would come of it. He was sure they would settle into a routine as they got used to being parents, and as the babies got used to life outside of Kathryn’s body. He knew it would be worth all the fuss, even if it wasn’t always easy.

Since Kathryn was not willing to relinquish either of her children at the moment, Chakotay got up to get another drink of water, filling a second glass for Kathryn. With a sigh, he sipped his water at the sink, looking out the small window to the night outside. The moon cast a silvery glow through the trees that hadn’t yet begun to leaf out, but he had a feeling it was coming soon. The nights were still cool, but they’d had several warmer than normal days, and the snow was all gone. The grasses in the meadow were just starting to poke out of the earth, and Chakotay knew that spring would happen upon New Earth quickly. Perhaps once they were a bit more settled into their lives with the twins, he would be able to dig up more ground for Kathryn’s garden. It wouldn’t do for her to do too much physical labor so soon after childbirth, but being outside in the fresh air would do her a world of good, since the last few weeks of her pregnancy had been spent primarily indoors and mostly in bed. And on warm days, she could bring the babies outside with her.

He smiled at the thought of all that life had to offer now that the babies were here. He couldn’t wait to take them walking through the woods, showing them all of the different trees and plants and animals around. He imagined them, old enough to play in the river, splashing about and picking up rocks. He imagined them helping Kathryn in the garden in years to come, helping her pull weeds and pick fruits and vegetables for them all to eat. He pictured taking them on a ride in the shuttle, watching their little faces light up as they watched the ground moving beneath them. 

The thought became bittersweet at the idea that he and Kathryn would never be able to show them the stars. Now that the babies were born, no doubt they were also infected with the same virus that he and Kathryn lived with. Though they wouldn’t know any different, they would never be able to leave this planet. They would never be able to watch a supernova explosion, or see a nebula glowing in the heavens. They would never meet their namesakes or the Voyager family that had almost been their own.

With a sigh he pushed those thoughts from his mind, focusing instead on all that they _would_ have in their lives. His children would learn all about Voyager, and their family that lived on a far away planet called Earth. He would teach them all about the history of his people, and help them both discover their animal guide. Perhaps his father, Kolopak would some day come to them in a vision. Chakotay knew he wanted to visit with his father himself in the next day or so to give him the good news that he was a grandfather. He knew Kolopak would be pleased.

Finishing his glass of water, he took the other and padded back to the bedroom. The night light was still on, but Kathryn had dimmed it. She now lay on her side, both babies beside her on the bed. Han was still fast asleep, but Ellie was awake, though no longer crying. Kathryn looked up as Chakotay approached, a sheepish look on her own face. “I’m sorry,” she spoke quietly as he slid back into bed, handing her the glass of water.

He shook his head, “You have nothing to apologize for, Kathryn. You are doing what you need to do to protect our children, and no one can fault you for that.” He turned on his side to face Kathryn, the babies between them. She took a drink before setting the glass on the nightstand.

“I didn’t realize that we had barely been asleep. I thought it was much later in the night and was shocked that they weren’t awake and hungry. Ellie didn’t eat. I think she was just mad at me for waking her up,” they both looked at their little girl. Her eyes were open, though she looked as though she might be on the verge of falling back to sleep. Her swaddle had come undone and her arms were free; she moved about this way and that and Chakotay slid his finger against hers, smiling when her tiny fingers closed around his. He marveled at just how tiny she was. Kathryn smiled at the sight. “She already adores you.”

Chakotay felt his heart swell with love for the little girl beside him. He didn’t know her personality yet, but he knew her face. From the moment she’d slipped into his hands, mere hours ago, he knew he would lay down his life to protect her and her brother, and it was the greatest love he’d ever felt. It was a love he’d never known before. When he’d fallen in love with Kathryn, it had been gradual and all encompassing. He knew he’d found his soul’s missing half, and it brought him a peace and a fulfillment that he’d been longing for. When she’d asked him to father her children all those months ago on Voyager, he’d looked forward to being a father...craved it even, once it had become a possibility. But now that the babies were here, his own flesh and blood lying beside him on the bed, it gave him a completion that he never knew was possible.

They both lay there for a time in the quiet of the night. Han still slept soundly, but Ellie remained awake, her only noises were the soft cooing sounds she made as she moved her arms and legs about. Chakotay pulled the blanket loose so her feet were free to move about as she stretched her tiny body. Kathryn marveled at her tiny feet as she kicked them about. "She takes after her father's height," Kathryn spoke with a smile as she looked at Ellie's long but skinny legs. Chakotay nodded. Though he could easily hold her in his hands now, he tried to imagine her as she grew; a dark haired beauty with his height and profile, and Kathryn's blue eyes. Though both babies had the steely blue eyes common to most newborns, he hoped theirs would stay that way. He adored Kathryn's blue eyes, and hoped that both babies had inherited them. "She looks so much like you."

"She does indeed, and her brother takes after you. That nose is one hundred percent you," Kathryn smiled and nodded.

"I wish I had the holoimages from when I was little. He actually looks just like Phoebe when she was a baby," she let her fingertips trace over his features gently before pressing a kiss to his small forehead.

Kathryn nestled a bit more into her pillows, hiding a yawn behind her hand. "Kathryn, you need to sleep. You won't be any good to them if you're exhausted," he gently chided, reaching over to tuck her hair behind her ear. She sighed watching the babies.

"I know, but I want to keep them right here," she placed her hand on Han's little belly, "But I know they need to get used to their own beds." Chakotay smiled, brushing his thumb across Kathryn's cheek.

"Close your eyes. I'll stay awake for a bit and put them to bed in a little bit. It won't hurt anything."

"I love you so much, Chakotay. In case I forget to tell you sometimes," she smiled that dreamy smile at him, turning to press a kiss into his palm.

"I love you too. Now get some sleep."

Chakotay wanted to laugh out loud. Nearly as soon as Kathryn's eyes fluttered shut her breathing evened out as she fell asleep. He hoped that this time she would be able to stay asleep until the babies actually needed her.

He watched her sleep for a few minutes, marveling again at what her body had been through over the last twenty four odd hours. It was amazing to behold her body changing as the babies grew inside her. It wasn’t just the way her stomach grew round and swollen as his children grew. It was the way her eyes sparkled a bit more, the way her cheeks flushed more often than normal. Her entire figure had changed, her skin grew a bit softer and more pliant; her curves becoming a bit more defined. He would never mention it, but he hoped that she didn’t lose all of that as she shed the baby weight she’d put on. He always found her beautiful, there was no debating that fact, but he loved the way her body had morphed into a more feminine version of herself. He loved it.

And now, after much time and hard work on her part, their children were here. He smiled to himself again at how lucky he was, and how blessed. His life had turned out much different than he ever had planned, but as he looked into the dark eyes of his daughter, watching her as she slowly drifted back to sleep, he knew he wouldn’t trade places with any other man in the galaxy.

Once Ellie was back to sleep, he scooped her up gently, wrapping the blanket lightly back around her body before placing her in her cradle. After she was settled he picked up Han. The little boy didn’t even acknowledge that he was being moved, and only made the softest of noises when Chakotay settled him back down in his cocoon of blankets. 

Chakotay lay back down on the bed beside Kathryn, letting his fingers drift up and down her arm as he let sleep pull him under once again.

The sun was just beginning to peek through the trees when Chakotay and Kathryn both woke to the mewling cries coming from the side of the bed. Chakotay had been sleeping hard, and felt groggy as he pulled himself into a seated position. Kathryn seemed to be sleeping just as deeply, groaning loudly as she too sat up, reaching for whichever child Chakotay was about to hand her. Though Ellie was awake, it was Han that was protesting his current situation...loudly. Chakotay lifted his son and handed him over to Kathryn, who was awake enough and ready for him.

The little boy was apparently quite hungry, and made it known with another minute of wavering cries before he finally realized that what he wanted was being offered to him. He frowned deeply as he began nursing, and Chakotay chuckled as he scrubbed his face with his hands, deciding to get Ellie up, if for no other reason than to simply hold her. Leaning back against the pillows, he brought his knees up and rested his little girl against them. She seemed to be trying to decide if she should start protesting her empty belly, or if being held by her father was comforting enough for the time being. She decided on the latter, content for the moment to simply look at Chakotay as she woke up.

Glancing at the clock, Chakotay was surprised that it was a few minutes after six. The babies had slept three hours. Not having anything to compare it to, that seemed like a good chunk of time. He also remembered reading that the babies would probably sleep a lot for the first two or three days after their birth; they needed to recover from the experience just like Kathryn did. Feeling a bit of a chill in the air now that he was no longer under the blankets, Chakotay knew he should build a fire in the hearth until the sun was up high enough to warm the air, but he didn’t want to get up yet. However, Kathryn’s stomach took that opportunity to let out a loud rumble in the silence of the early morning, and Chakotay realized that it had been nearly twenty four hours since she’d had anything to eat. She chuckled as it growled again. “I guess I’m hungry now,” she spoke as her eyes moved between Chakotay and Han, who now that he’d mastered nursing, was greedily eating all that his little belly would hold.

Pressing a kiss to Kathryn’s cheek, he lifted Ellie into his arms before getting up, “What would you like for breakfast? Something replicated? Something cooked?” He grinned at her, “Both?”

Kathryn thought for a moment, closing her eyes as if picturing a breakfast menu in her mind, “French toast, and a donut with chocolate frosting and strawberry sprinkles, and a cup of tea.”

Chakotay chuckled again as he nodded, moving into the kitchen area, taking Ellie with him, “Coming up.”

=/\=

After both babies had been fed and burped and changed, and Han fed a second time (and changed again), Kathryn came into the kitchen to sit at the table with Chakotay. He had argued that he could easily bring the food to her, but _she_ argued that she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life in bed. It was a good thing that she came out, because after she ate the two pieces of french toast he’d made and the donut, she asked the replicator for some bacon and another donut as well. Chakotay loved it, and it seemed that as she ate, she gained energy by the second, and when she was finally finished, he noticed a bit of her color coming back and the twinkle back in her eyes. She cleared the dishes when they were finished, pressing a kiss to his lips as she came to sit back down at the table.

“I know at some point the pain of the delivery will hit me, but right now I feel better than I have since my water broke,” she smiled as she rested her head against her hand with her elbow on the table. “I’m still tired, but I feel good.”

“I couldn’t ask for more,” Chakotay took a sip of his tea, watching Kathryn as her eyes drifted back to the bedroom. They couldn’t see the babies from the table, but he knew Kathryn was thinking about them. He was too.

“How are we supposed to get anything done, ever again?” She joked, “All I want to do is just sit and look at those sweet babies.”

“I know, but, one of the nice things about our life right now, is that we can do just that.” Chakotay stood up, holding a hand out to Kathryn. She took it, pulling him into an embrace before they went back into the main living area to spend the morning with their children.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all my lovelies! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that the end of 2020 is nothing but fantastic. I am now facing the daunting task of working through all that I've written during NaNoWriMo, so I will hopefully have several updates to several stories coming for you soon. Thank you all for your continued love and patience while I work through everything I have (being a pharmacy technician during flu season and a pandemic and working out this whole vaccine thing is pretty stressful, but writing is my stress reliever, and I do so enjoy it) and I hope you have more updates coming soon. Thanks for the love!!!!!

Both babies were still sleeping when Kathryn and Chakotay went back into the bedroom, but that didn’t stop their mother and father from lifting them from their cradles again, just to hold them. Chakotay held Han, sitting back down on the bed to watch the little boy as he slept. Kathryn held Ellie close, sitting beside Chakotay so they could watch both children. Ellie’s nose kept wrinkling as she slept, continually bringing a smile to Kathryn and Chakotay’s face. Han slept hard, soft sounds occasionally slipping through his open lips.

“Look at what we made,” Kathryn spoke in wonder as her thumb absently brushed across the hat on her daughter’s head. “I still can’t believe they are real, and that they are ours.”

“I know,” Chakotay whispered, his eyes moving back and forth between his children. “They are a miracle.”

“I never knew it would feel like this. When I asked you to father my children, I had no idea how much I would love them, and how much I would love you.”

“What do you mean,” he turned slightly to face her, careful not to jostle the baby.

“When I asked you to take this journey with me, I already cared for you a great deal; you were my best friend. I knew that an undertaking like this could potentially complicate that; being commanding officers and friends and parents wouldn’t be an easy task, but I knew that we could do it...that we’d figure it out somehow.” Chakotay nodded in agreement.

“Obviously being stranded here changed a lot of that. It allowed me to admit to myself that I did in fact love you...that I’ve loved you for longer than I realized, because I wouldn’t _let_ myself realize it. Had I not been pregnant, I still would have loved you. But I never realized that loving you for you and for being the father of my children would be two completely different feelings.” She frowned, trying to put her thoughts into words. “I love you for who you are, and who you’ve helped me to become. But the love I feel for you, for giving me the gift of these babies...I can’t even put it into words. I’m thankful that this happened here, on New Earth. I would have had a very hard time wrapping my mind around this powerful emotion if I still had to be captain of Voyager.”

Chakotay was struck by her words and her candid expression of her feelings. Leaning into her side, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him gently, “I love you so much, Kathryn, and I think I know what you mean. When I said I’d never look at you the same way again, I meant it. You create an awe in me that I’ve never experienced before. From the first moment I met you, it’s been there, and it has only grown and compounded on itself the more I’ve gotten to know you. When you asked me to do this with you, I was honored, and amazed that you would take on something so profound while captaining a ship. But I knew that if anyone could handle it, it would be you, and I was honored to take that journey and adventure with you. I was already in love with you, so the final answer was easy to come to. But if I hadn’t been, my answer would still have been the same.

“And now that the babies are here; my own flesh and blood that we created together...even if not in the conventional way...I love you all the more for giving me this amazing gift.”

Kathryn grinned, watching the babies as they slept, “It seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?” Chakotay nodded beside her. “I was so nervous to ask you. Nervous that you’d say no. I don’t know what I would have done if you’d have said no.”

Chakotay hummed low in his throat, remembering back to that day, all those months ago. “I remember being nervous that there might be something wrong with...my sample. That maybe I wouldn’t be able to be part of it.” Kathryn chuckled softly.

“I was so embarrassed for you that day; I hope the Doctor’s bedside manner has improved since then,” she laughed again, her cheeks pinking a bit as she remembered back, “I remember thinking about you, trying _not_ to picture what you were doing to produce your sample.” Chakotay bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

“I was thinking of you, you know,” he spoke in a hushed voice, but his tone implied he was remembering back to that moment. “You were the main feature of my fantasies by then,” he lay a kiss on her temple.

Kathryn turned then, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that held much more emotion and passion than the last few. Though they were both too exhausted and Kathryn’s body was in no shape yet, Chakotay let her know in this kiss that he was every bit as interested in making love to her as ever, when her body had healed and they weren’t sleep deprived. Kathryn hummed in quiet satisfaction as she smiled, effectively breaking the kiss. “You still find me desirable, even after all you’ve seen?” He knew she was teasing him, but he wanted to reassure her just the same.

“Absolutely. And once your body is healed and it’s safe to do so, I’ll show you just how much,” his voice dropped into that dangerous register that gave Kathryn goosebumps, and it didn’t fail to do so now. She chuckled, pecking his lips again in a silent promise before looking back down at the babies once again.

“What do you think we’d be doing now, if this had all happened on Voyager?” Kathryn leaned back into the pillows, stifling a yawn behind her hand. She knew she should try to sleep while the babies were sleeping, but she was enjoying this moment far too much.

“Well,” Chakotay thought, “You would probably be in your quarters with the both of them, being forced to relax and take some kind of maternity leave. I would probably be on the bridge, trying to command but being desperate to be near you and the babies...wondering how they were.”

“I would probably be sending comm calls to you and the Doctor every five minutes in a panic about something.” 

“Certain things would have been very awkward, I think.” Chakotay spoke softly, rocking Han gently as he seemed to be coming out of sleep.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we wouldn’t have had the romantic attachment on Voyager that we do now,” Chakotay smirked, “At least I doubt it. I’m sure I would have wanted it, but who knows. Anyways, I would have wanted to be there for the birth, but would have taken a much less active role. I’m sure you wouldn’t have wanted me to watch you nurse them, and I’m certain I would have been embarrassed a bit if I had.”

Kathryn smiled up at him, “You’ve certainly seen me at my best and at my worst.”

“I could say the same to you,” he glanced down again at both babies, “but when it comes right down to it, everything happened just as it was meant to, and I wouldn’t change a thing.” He leaned down to lay several soft kisses on Han’s forehead.

“Neither would I,” Kathryn spoke, leaning back into the pillows, moving Ellie so she lay on her chest. She hummed as she shut her eyes. “I’m just going to close my eyes for a minute.”

“You have all the time in the world, Kathryn,” he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Again, she fell asleep nearly instantly, and Chakotay was glad. Her body still needed to recover, and she might as well sleep as much as she could while the babies were asleep. Chakotay himself was tired, but more mentally tired than anything else. Being so focused on Kathryn for so long yesterday had worn him out mentally and emotionally. Though he probably could have slept, he decided to stay awake for a time, just enjoying being with his family.

Once he knew she wouldn’t rouse, he lifted Ellie off Kathryn’s chest and lay her down beside her. He thought Han might wake, but he drifted back to sleep as well. He lay both babies down on the bed near Kathryn. He figured that while both cradles were empty, he could go to work carving the babies names in them. Moving as quietly as he could he lay one of the comm badges beside Kathryn on the night stand and took his with him. His tools were still out in his small woodshed, and though he would only be gone a few minutes, he wanted to be available immediately should Kathryn wake and need anything.

=/\=

Chakotay was just putting the finishing touches on Han’s cradle when the little boy began to wake up, softly protesting either a soiled diaper or an empty belly. Chakotay quickly put down his tools and moved back into the bedroom to help Kathryn if need be.

She came awake quickly, but when she sat up, she winced in pain, groaning as she pressed a hand to her stomach and her head simultaneously.

“Kathryn, what’s wrong?” Chakotay had already picked up Han, but was ready to set him down in favor of the medical tricorder. Her brow furrowed.

“I feel like I was hit with a photon torpedo,” she cringed again, gingerly slipping her nightgown down in case Han wanted to nurse. “I think it’s just finally catching up to me is all. I just,” she cringed again as she moved. “I just didn’t expect it to happen so fast. My whole body hurts.”

Chakotay handed over the baby, who indeed seemed to want his next meal of the day. While he fed, Chakotay scanned Kathryn with the tricorder, nodding at the result. “It would indeed seem as though some of your hormone levels are leveling out. Do you want a hypospray?” Kathryn smiled but shook her head.

“No, I’d much prefer to save them if the babies ever need them. I’ve had nightmares of broken legs or dislocated shoulders.” Her frown deepened as she looked down at her son, worried about what might happen to either him or his sister on a planet with absolutely no medical facilities. “I’m alright.”

Chakotay nodded, but his attention was quickly drawn as Ellie let out a howl. Apparently not wanting to be left out, she decided she was hungry as well. Chakotay lifted her from where she lay, not sure what Kathryn would want to do. It took some maneuvering, but eventually she had them both nursing at the same time, and Chakotay couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What?” Kathryn asked as his smile grew.

“I just love this side of you that only I get to see. Captain Janeway, nursing twins and still the most fierce Captain I’ve ever known.” He smiled as he watched her. She had a pillow on each side of her, holding the babies like footballs as they both fed at the same time. She was just relieved that it was working, and Chakotay was enamored, watching them.

Kathryn grinned up at Chakotay, that crooked smile that he loved so much. Putting the tricorder back down, he moved back to the kitchen and brought Han’s cradle back out to show Kathryn. “I was going to start on Ellie’s but I think I’ll wait until after her next nap.” He set the cradle down, “How are they doing,” he asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Kathryn looked between both babies, still nursing, “They are slowing down a little bit,” she smiled as she watched their cheeks working, “I could just sit and watch them all day.” Her eyes lifted to Chakotay’s, to see him smiling, “What?”

“It’s just what I was saying. This is a side of you that no one has ever seen before. I’ve watched you morph slowly from Kathryn the Captain to Kathryn the woman to Kathryn the mother. The Captain Janeway I knew a year ago couldn’t sit still for more than five minutes without needing a padd in her hand or some crisis to fix,” he smiled, leaning in to press his forehead to hers. “And then I saw Kathryn, though no longer a captain, she was still driven to find a cure for our illness. She had to stay busy, from sun up until sun down; no matter how slim the odds were, she worked to figure out the virus that stranded us here.” He moved then on the bed to sit beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders to pull her close, and so he could watch both babies, “And then we found out you were pregnant, and I’ve loved watching you transform into a mother...a mother who could sit here all day and just hold her babies.” He kissed her hair, her temple, her cheek. “It’s just been amazing to see.”

Instead of smiling, Kathryn frowned as she looked down at the babies, “I don’t want to lose the Captain.” He could hear emotion in her voice, and pulled her closer, realizing his error.

“Oh, Kathryn, that’s not at all what I meant. I see Captain Janeway in you every day.” He reached across with his other hand to turn her face to his, “The captain hasn’t gone anywhere. I’ve just been blessed to see you become even more. The captain is still there, don’t ever worry about that.”

She smiled, looking back down at the babies. Han looked to be falling asleep at his task while Ellie still fed hungrily, “I miss everything about being the captain of Voyager, but I wouldn’t trade this life with you, and with them, for anything.” She leaned heavily into him as she closed her eyes for a moment, “I miss our crew. I miss Tom sending messages to Harry’s console, thinking that no one else knew it. I miss sitting beside you on the bridge, talking about anything and nothing.” She chuckled gently, “I miss the small piece of carpet coming up in my quarters that I never got fixed because there was always something more important going on.”

“I know, I miss those things too. We just have to keep those memories alive, and know that we are blessed to have them. And blessed to be making new and different memories with our children.”

Kathryn nodded gently, moving Han from her breast to hand him to Chakotay to be burped, “I do know that. I’ve never felt luckier in my life. I just think about how things were, and I miss it.” Chakotay was silent beside her; there was nothing more for him to say. He knew how she felt and agreed completely. He was glad they had the memories and experiences with their Voyager crew, and was glad to share them with Kathryn, and as he looked down at his son, he was glad to share the future with her as well.

=/\=

The next few days passed in similar fashion, though Kathryn ventured farther and farther from the babies when they went down for their naps. Both she and Chakotay worked on little sleep; sometimes napping when the babies did and sometimes trying to get things done around the house. The laundry, from the moment they changed the first diaper, was never ending, and Chakotay frequently brought water up from the river. They took turns washing diapers, and Chakotay started expanding the plot size of Kathryn’s garden.

Now that spring had officially arrived on New Earth, he didn’t want to waste a moment in getting the garden ready. He knew, sooner or later, that the energy cell in the replicator would give out, and they would be without it for good, unless they could find some alternate power source on the planet. They hadn’t done a full scan of the planet before they’d arrived, and hadn’t ventured far in the shuttle either. They had discussed doing a bit of sightseeing with the shuttle to map out a bit more of the planet, but decided to wait until they’d settled into a bit more of a routine with the babies.

It was just over a week since Ellie and Han were born when Chakotay pulled his medicine bundle from under the bed. Kathryn was holding Ellie in the crook of one arm and holding a book in the other, but she looked up when Chakotay came inside.

“I think it’s time I told my father about his grandchildren,” Chakotay leaned down to kiss Ellie’s forehead before pressing his lips to Kathryn’s. She smiled and nodded, watching as he exited the cabin.

He made his way into the woods, to a spot that he found not long after they’d fully succumbed to their future on New Earth. He hadn’t even brought Kathryn here; it was a private spot where he was fully immersed in nature, and where he’d had the best luck during his visits with his animal guide. He smiled to himself as he sat down, unrolling his medicine bundle, picturing bringing his children here when it was time for them to learn the ways of their people.

Closing his eyes, he placed his hand on the akoonah, calling on the spirits of his forefathers, asking them to bring forth his father. In no time at all the trees around him vanished, and he found himself standing beside the waterfall he and Kathryn had visited months ago, where she’d found her Voyager stone.

It was warmer than it was now; the sun shone down from a cloudless sky, warming Chakotay’s very bones. Hearing the rocks moving behind him, he turned, watching his father approach from the tree line.

“Chakotay,” the older man spoke, “it is good to see you, my son. You have a look of pride in your eyes.”

Chakotay smiled, shaking his father’s hand, “I suppose I do,” he tugged his ear, “I’m a father now. I wanted you to know that you have two grandchildren.” Kolopak’s smile widened.

“That is cause for celebration, my son. Are they healthy? Is their mother healthy?”

Chakotay nodded, wishing he could place the babies in his father’s arms. “They are. We had a boy and a girl, and their mother is strong. She is my brave woman warrior. It was a beautiful thing to witness, watching my children being born.”

“You are a lucky man, Chakotay. Most men go their entire lives without the partnership of a good woman, and your woman has given you children. You have been blessed by the great spirit many times over.”

Chakotay nodded again, “Yes, I have. I worry that some days I take it for granted.”

Kolopak nodded, “It’s a heavy thing, being a father. Raising your children as best you can isn’t always easy. There are times you will feel like you are failing them, but as long as you love them and do what you know in your heart to be right, they will be just fine. What did you name them?”

Chakotay smiled, knowing his father would be pleased, “It was Kathryn’s idea to let the children choose their own names. My daughter is Nayeli, and my son is Ahanu.” Kolopak chuckled.

“Love and laughter. You could not ask for more than that, my son.”

Chakotay nodded, feeling satisfaction and pride at having this conversation with his own father, “I look forward to the day when they are able to meet you in their own visions.” Kolopak smiled at his son.

“As do I. Now go back to them, give them each a kiss from me, and a kiss for your woman warrior. You are a lucky man, Chakotay.”

“I know I am. Thank you, father.” Kolopak nodded, shaking his son’s hand once again before turning to walk away. Chakotay watched as the image of his father grew faint as he moved away and towards the trees at the base of the mountain. Before long, Chakotay was alone.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled his hand away from the akoonah, satisfied with his visit with his father. Wrapping up his medicine bundle, he quickly made his way back to the cabin, eager to share his father’s love with his family.


	4. Chapter 4

The weather continued to warm, and by the beginning of April, Chakotay had Kathryn’s garden plot expanded and ready for planting. She wanted to get her hands in the dirt, but didn’t want to be that far from the babies, should they need anything from her while she was away.

It was for that specific reason, that Chakotay fashioned one of the wheeled carts that their supplies had been beamed down on, into a sort of wagon for the twins. It was about three feet square and flat. Chakotay had easily fashioned sides for it and after outfitting it with a handle and blankets, the babies could easily be wheeled around outside on the ground around their home. It would be harder to pull along rocky or uneven terrain, but could easily make the trip from the cabin to the garden and back.

Chakotay had also woven a hammock out of rope and tied it between two trees near the garden’s edge. Now that the trees were leafing out, Kathryn had a place to rest in the shade beside her garden if she decided she needed a break. She’d nearly cried when Chakotay had presented her with this solution to her problem. Though Chakotay didn’t see it as a problem, Kathryn was desperate to get outside in her garden, and after several weeks of healing, she felt up to a bit of manual labor.

Kathryn took her garden tools and seeds that she’d saved, and Chakotay pulled the babies in their new wagon, and they headed for her garden just after breakfast. Both babies had been fed and changed and were now fast asleep in their swaddles, seemingly lulled by the movement of the wagon.

Chakotay had already turned over the earth and chopped up any large bits of sod that remained. Kathryn had turned the soil and dead plants under last fall, so the dirt was even richer for it, and ready for planting. Once the babies were situated beside the garden and out of the sun, Kathryn got to work.

She planted long rows of carrots, beans, tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. She had replicated a variety of melon seeds, but it was still a bit too early to put those in the ground. She planted a row of garlic and had just started a row of squash when a familiar chirp caught her attention.

In one of the trees where Chakotay had fashioned her hammock was her primate friend, standing on a limb several feet above her head. It watched Kathryn as she slowly approached, “Well hello there.” She spoke gently, soothingly, “Welcome back, little friend,” she couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on her face as the primate maneuvered itself to sit down. As it moved, a small, nearly naked creature came into view, its eyes barely open as it clung to its father’s front. “Well, congratulations are in order I see,” she spoke softly, watching as the baby opened its eyes a bit more, seemingly understanding that she was no threat. Kathryn glanced over to the little wagon where Ellie and Han were napping, “I had babies too. I hope that someday they can feed you and your little one treats.” Kathryn wished she had some type of snack in her pocket to offer the monkey and its offspring, but she’d gotten out of the habit after he’d seemingly migrated away for the winter.

The primate scratched behind its head for a moment, keeping one arm around its baby as it listened to Kathryn speak. It gave another chirp, which Kathryn could only understand as a noise of frustration at not being fed, because after another few seconds it leapt off the branch and higher into the tree, disappearing from view.

Kathryn was sad for the primate’s hasty retreat, but it was just as well, because Ellie decided at that moment to wake up and let her mother know that she was hungry. Deciding she was as well, Kathryn left her tools where they were and pulled the babies back towards the house.

Ellie’s crying brought Chakotay around from where he’d been working in their backyard. He’d started digging a root cellar several days before, so they’d have plenty of room to store as much food as possible for next winter; another failsafe in case the replicator decided to malfunction or for when the power cell finally ran out. He also wanted somewhere safe for them to retreat if the planet was ever hit with another plasma storm as they experienced last year.

“Ellie bear, what’s the matter?” he scooped the little girl up into his arms in an attempt to placate her while Kathryn got situated and settled to feed her. He watched as she lifted a still sleeping Han out of the wagon and brought him inside, laying him back down in his cradle. They had learned, since the day he was born, that Han could sleep through anything. He never stirred when his sister cried, and only woke himself when he was in need of food or a clean diaper.

Chakotay also loved how settled into motherhood Kathryn continued to become. For at least a week after the babies were born, she was frantic to placate their crying the split second one of the twins decided they were unhappy for some reason, and though he didn’t fault her for it in the slightest, they both came to realize that no harm would befall either of the babies if they had to wait an extra moment for their next meal or a dry diaper. Chakotay knew it wasn’t for lack of caring about either of them...far from it. Instead, Kathryn didn’t let every little whine or cry bring her stress as it had the first few days of the little ones lives. She and Chakotay had both come to realize that sometimes the babies would cry for no reason that any of them could comprehend.

Kathryn had been in tears a week before when Ellie had cried to be fed. After she’d nursed her fill, she’d continued to cry. It had brought Kathryn herself to tears trying to determine what the little one wanted or needed. She wasn’t wet. She wasn’t hungry, and there was nothing else the matter with her, and yet she continued to cry. The harder Ellie cried, the more tears spilled from Kathryn’s eyes until Chakotay took the little one outside for a walk, if for no other reason than to keep the crying baby away from Kathryn. When he’d come back with Ellie once she’d finally calmed down, he had to convince Kathryn that she wasn’t a horrible mother for not being able to placate her infant daughter. Kathryn had pointed out that Chakotay had gotten her to stop crying, and he had to bite his lip to keep from chuckling. He’d explained that he hadn’t done anything except let her cry until she had exhausted herself into a nap.

Kathryn now washed her hands before coming back to retrieve her crying daughter from Chakotay, situating her at her breast. Once the little one was latched, Kathryn moved into the kitchen to find something for lunch, only to see that Chakotay had already made sandwiches.

“I didn’t know what you wanted to drink. There’s still some lemonade, or I can make more tea,” Chakotay grabbed a bowl of cherries from their refrigerator and added it to the table.

“I think I want to try coffee,” she grinned as she sat down at the table. “I’ve been thinking about it for a few days, and it sounds so good. It’s been so long since I’ve had any. Do you think that would be okay?”

Chakotay’s dimples played into his cheeks, “As long as you don’t go overboard on the caffeine, I think it should be alright.” He moved to the replicator, “Coffee. Black.”

The mug appeared and Chakotay set it down in front of Kathryn, watching with bated breath as she picked it up and took a sip. Immediately her eyes closed and a moan sounded in her throat the likes of which nearly brought Chakotay to full arousal on the spot. He hadn’t heard a sound like that come from her since the last time they’d made love, and that had been nearly a month ago. Quickly sitting down to hide his reaction from her, he couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips. “Good?”

Kathryn sighed before opening her eyes, smiling dreamily at him, “Heavenly.”

=/\=

It was early evening and Kathryn had finished her work in the garden for the day. She’d gotten nearly everything planted that she wanted to, and had plans for the next day to dig up some raspberry shoots and transplant them nearer the house.

She was settled in her rocking chair, feeling completely and utterly exhausted and a bit sore, but wonderful nonetheless. She absolutely adored taking care of the babies, and being available for feedings whenever they needed them, and that in and of itself was exhausting work. It felt good, however, to be tired from the physical labor of being out in the garden for most of the day. And even though she’d only spent a total of maybe three hours out there over the course of the morning and afternoon, it had been taxing on her body, but she relished the feeling. It made her feel a bit more like herself.

Han lay sleeping peacefully in his cradle and Kathryn sat in her rocker, rocking Ellie gently. Though her last feeding had filled her belly, she was still unsettled, so Kathryn sat rocking her daughter, softly humming some unknown song to her.

Ellie had stopped crying, but continued to whimper out soft disgruntled sounds as she fought the sleep that she obviously needed. Kathryn watched her daughter, running her fingers over the little girl's face in an attempt to soothe her.

It was about fifteen minutes later when Chakotay came inside, a small crate in his hands the size of a shoe box. He approached quietly, not wanting to disturb the relaxing atmosphere in the room. “What have you got there?” Kathryn whispered. Ellie had dropped off to sleep, but Kathryn could tell it was a light sleep that might end at any moment.

“Well, I was out checking my snares, and found a nest. They look as close to chickens as I’ve ever seen, but the mother was gone. It looks like she abandoned the nest. At first I thought maybe she was taken by some kind of predator, but there was no evidence of that.” Chakotay spoke quietly, kneeling down beside Kathryn. “I know we already have our hands full, but I wondered if you didn’t want to try raising these also,” and with that he uncovered the box, and Kathryn couldn’t help but smile.

Inside the box were six fuzzy brownish yellow baby birds. She had to agree, they did indeed look like chickens. They lay together in a huddle, no doubt to keep warm, as they hadn’t yet feathered out. They let out a soft peeping noise occasionally, but for the most part, they slept contentedly. She reached into the box, picking up one of the babies, feeling its soft fuzz in her palm as it instantly lay down, happy for the warmth that her skin provided. “Oh, Chakotay, they are precious.”

Chakotay smiled, “I figure we can keep them inside until they get some feathers to keep warm. It’ll give me time to build some kind of pen and run for them, and maybe when they get bigger we’ll get some eggs from them.” Kathryn nodded, placing the little one back in the box with its siblings.

“That sounds wonderful. I used to raise chickens as a child. It’ll be fun to do it again,” she watched the baby birds settle back together, leaning against one another until the one on the end lost its balance and they all tumbled over.

“I’ve never really had pets before, but I’ll do all I can to help you,” Chakotay spoke as he set the box closer to the fireplace so the birds could glean some of its warmth. That seemed to placate them, as they quickly quieted and went back to sleep. “I just don’t want you to feel overwhelmed.” Chakotay continued to whisper, even though Ellie seemed to be drifting into a deeper sleep. “We’ve only barely settled into a routine with the babies.”

Kathryn smiled, leaning over to peck a kiss to his lips, “You sweet man.” She kissed him again, lingering a bit longer the second time, “You were right to bring them back here, and if they are anything like the chickens on earth, they are very easy to raise. As long as they have food and water and warmth, they will thrive.”

Chakotay nodded, pressing one last kiss to her lips before reciprocating on Ellie’s forehead, “I’ll be back after I finish checking my snares.”

=/\=

Kathryn pressed one final kiss to Chakotay’s spent erection, humming quietly in satisfaction as his fingers flexed against her scalp where they rested, twined gently in her hair. Biting her lip, she looked up to give him that lopsided grin as she tucked him back into his boxers before sliding up the bed to rest beside him. Chakotay let his eyes fall shut, his mouth parted as he silently drew in gasping breaths while his heart slowly came back to its normal rhythm.

“You didn’t need to do that,” he finally panted out into the quiet room. Both babies had been asleep for nearly an hour, and though it wasn’t quite dark out, Kathryn and Chakotay had been lying in bed together, resting. Innocent kisses had led to gentle caresses that led to not so innocent kisses until Kathryn had slowly worked her way down his body to take care of Chakotay’s quickly growing desire. “We could have waited.” He leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Just because we can’t make love yet doesn’t mean I can’t do other things,” she smiled at him, “Do you wish I hadn’t?” She winked at him and he let out a soft laugh.

“I’ll never say yes to that question,” his dimples pressed into his cheeks, “But I don’t want you to feel like you have to. I’m content to wait until you’re ready.”

“I know that, and I love you for it. But I miss being intimate with you, and I just...wanted to,” she shrugged with a smile. Chakotay nodded, satisfied with her answer. “Besides, it won’t be much longer and we can be together.” Chakotay nodded again, but then his brow furrowed. He schooled his features quickly, but Kathryn saw the emotions there. “What is it?”

“We should probably talk about that.” He almost looked anxious, and Kathryn’s chest felt tight suddenly.

“What do you mean? Everything we’ve read said to wait at least four weeks after the birth. We have one more week. Did you read something else?” Kathryn felt trepidation at what he might say. She felt physically fine as far as that was concerned, and had almost thrown caution to the wind this evening to make love to Chakotay now, but had decided that they’d better wait. She was longing to be with him again, and though they were both living on little sleep, she was feeling better and stronger and more like her old self every day. “Is there something to worry about?”

Chakotay pressed his lips together for a moment before speaking, “No, nothing at all to worry about, but we need to figure some things out.” He waited for a moment to see if she would catch on to his line of thinking. She remained silent, so he continued, “We need to decide if we want to have more children.” He pulled her body closer to his out of habit, letting his fingers whisper up and down her back.

Kathryn felt relief flood her being even as fresh apprehension filled her mind, “Oh, I hadn’t even thought about that. Years and years of ovulation suppression hyposprays sort of make that a moot point.” Chakotay nodded, pressing a kiss into her hair. “But you’re right.”

“You could get pregnant at any point, unless we take certain precautions,” he paused, suddenly feeling awkward talking about it. He chuckled to himself; he had no reason to be embarrassed. He’d delivered their children, for goodness sake, but they’d never really talked about forms of birth control. She’d been pregnant before, so it wasn’t ever an issue that came up.

“Do you want more children?” Kathryn asked softly, almost apprehensively. She was surprised in all their time together that it had never come up before.

“The question is, do _you_ want more children? I’m perfectly content either way, Kathryn. I have all the easy and fun parts. I get to help make them, and then love on them when they’re born,” he grinned, giving her a squeeze. “You’re the one that has to carry and give birth to them. What do you think?”

Kathryn did think about it for a moment, now that it was fresh in her mind, “Well, I’m not saying I want to give birth to another one this moment, but I think I would like more, if you’re up for it.” She turned and leaned up a bit so she could look him in the eye, “And when you and I are gone, I don’t want Han and Ellie to be alone here. I know they have the Phreezah, but other than that they’ll be all alone.”

Chakotay didn’t want to mention that that was a _long_ way off, and there was no way to know what the future might hold for their family. There very well might be other visitors to New Earth at some point. But he did agree that he didn’t want to leave their twins on this planet with no one else once he and Kathryn were gone.

“Besides,” she continued, “We shouldn’t worry about it too much, I guess. I don’t know if I can even get pregnant...the normal way, I mean.”

“Is there any reason to think that you wouldn’t be able to?” Chakotay knew that she’d been on a special regimen of medications and hormones to get pregnant with the twins, but had no idea of her family history or previous physicals.

“Not especially, I’ve just never tried before.” She chewed on her lip for a moment, “How about we don’t worry about it for now. We don’t have to try to get pregnant again, but we don’t have to _not_ try to get pregnant.”

“We’ll leave it up to the spirits to decide how large our family will be,” Chakotay answered, feeling better about it now that they’d discussed it.

Kathryn smiled again, “I like that idea, though if they do decide to bless us with more children, maybe they could hold off for a little while at least. I don’t want to give up coffee again quite yet.” She smiled and Chakotay laughed, pulling her back down to lie beside him in the quiet of the evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for following along with all of my stories. For those of you following "The Heir To Delta House" - I did update that one a few days ago, but ao3 was acting up and I'm not sure if notifications went out. I know a lot of you were eager for an update, so just wanted you to know it's there! Love and hugs!!! xoxo


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